New Delhi: This edition of the north London derby sees two teams desperate to resurrect their disappointing campaigns. While Arsenal hope to close the gap between themselves and the top four, Tottenham Hotspur's aims are decidedly more basic: avoid the drop.
Carlo Cudicini retains his place in the Spurs goal despite Heurelho Gomes being declared fit, while Robbie Keane graces White Hart Lane for the first time since his return from Liverpool. Andrey Arshavin only makes the Gunners bench alongside Eduardo da Silva, who returns to the first-team squad almost 12 months after his horrific leg-break last season.
First Half
Both sides attacked from the off, and the game didn't take long to reach derby speed. Emmanuel Eboue drove the visitors forward early, and moments later Aaron Lennon forced Manuel Almunia intoa save after some clever work on the right wing.
After 13 minutes, Arsenal had the ball in the net. Again it was Eboue making the play, tearing down the left flank into the box and squaring from the byline. Cudicini kept out Emmanuel Adebayor's close-range attempt but the ball fell to Eboue, who worked some space and poked home - only for the referee to call a foul on Adebayor.
Not long after, Spurs were on the front foot once more, and Roman Pavlyuchenko should perhaps have tested the goalkeeper. Assou-Ekotto's second-attempt cross found the Russian, who blasted way over on the half-volley from around 12 yards. No marking to speak of.
Twenty-seven minutes in, a sharp move from the Lilywhites gave Lennon another chance. Assou-Ekotto won the ball in the middle and fed the lively Luka Modric, who found enough room to hit an inch-perfect through-ball to his winger. Lennon burst past Gael Clichy but scuffed his effort the wrong side of the post. Modric was involved again instantly, sending a powerful shot goalward from 20 yards - but Almunia had no problems.
And then a moment of Vedran Corluka madness nearly saw Spurs concede. The Croatian horribly misjudged an over-hit Arsenal pass, trying to let it trickle into touch and allowing Samir Nasri to nip in and win possession. The resulting squared ball amazingly missed all attackers and was cleared by the grateful Tottenham rearguard.
Tragedy for the visitors just after half-hour mark, as Adebayor and Eboue exited the game within seconds of each other. The former pulled up with a busted hamstring and was stretchered off the pitch, and his fellow African joined him on the sidelines instantly after picking up a second booking for a foolish kick-out at Modric. Inexplicable yet all to typical from Eboue, who had actually been playing fairly well.
The challenges were flying in from everywhere, and Clichy found himself in Mike Dean's book two minutes short of half-time for upending Lennon. Wilson Palacios was somewhat more precise with his tackling, refusing to let the Gunners into their attacking third. The Honduran provided plenty going forward as well; he stung Almunia's finger tips with an absolute rocket at the end of the first period.
Second Half
Pavlyuchenko had a decent chance to put Tottenham ahead shortly after the restart, breezing past Kolo Toure down the left before darting into the area and blasting his shot well wide. Corluka hit the target soon after, following another jinking run from the impressive and hard-working Lennon, but his weak strike didn't do justice to the build-up.
It was all Spurs at this point, and Keane nearly marked his return to the Lane with a goal. Lennon was again the creator, crossing from the right and finding his skipper's scone, and the Irishman's header only just flew over the crossbar and onto the roof of the net.
Darren Bent replaced Pavlyuchenko around the hour, but it was Robin van Persie who nearly found the net against the run of play. A scrappy corner from Arsenal fell to the Dutchman, who turned in an awkward position and blasted a screaming effort marginally off target. Almost a signature stunner from the 25-year-old.
In the 70th minute, Alexandre Song missed a sitter, brushing van Persie's corner wide from dead in front. About 60 seconds later, Keane came within inches of putting the hosts ahead, controlling a loose ball and smashing a volley just past Almunia's right-hand post from 22 yards.
But it remained goalless going into the last 15 minutes as the men of Ashburton Grove gradually worked their way into the game, with the likes of Nicklas Bendtner and van Persie providing most of the spark. Spurs had more of the ball, but their guests threatened on the counter.
There was a nervy moment for the home side five minutes from time, as Bendtner broke forward - while Gael Clichy, bleeding profusely from the head, lay prone at the other end of the park - and played a clever ball in from the right edge of the box. Jonathan Woodgate got a faint touch which threw Cudicini, but the Italian managed to gather on the second attempt.
Bendtner forced the former Chelsea 'keeper into action again with a fizzing effort as the game ticked into injury time, but Tottenham had an even better chance moments later. Modric, fed through on the break by Adel Taarabt, shot into an onrushing Almunia - a vital stop from the Spaniard that ensured his side a point.
Tottenham Hotspur: Cudicini, Corluka (Chimbonda 74), Woodgate, Dawson, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon (Taarabt 87), Palacios, Jenas, Modric, Keane, Pavlyuchenko (Bent 64).
Arsenal: Almunia, Sagna, Gallas (Gibbs 87), Toure, Clichy, Eboue*, Denilson, Song, Nasri, van Persie, Adebayor (Bendtner 38).
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